Panasonic ZS100 vs Sony RX1 Comparison

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Panasonic ZS100

20 MP | 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) MOS Sensor

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Sony RX1

24 MP | Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) CMOS Sensor

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Panasonic ZS100 vs Sony RX1 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing ZS100 and RX1, two Large Sensor Compact cameras from Panasonic and Sony. Panasonic ZS100 was introduced to market in January 2016 and Sony RX1 was launched in February 2013. As you can see, RX1 is 3 years older than ZS100. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Panasonic ZS100 and Sony RX1 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Panasonic ZS100 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2016-01-05

20MP - 1″ MOS Sensor

ISO 125 - 12800 ( expands to 80 - 25600)

25-250 mm F2.8-5.9 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3.00" Fixed Type Screen

1166k dot Electronic viewfinder

9.9fps continuous shooting

4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video resolution

Built-in Wireless

312g. 111 x 65 x 44 mm

Also known as Lumix DMC-TZ100

Sony RX1 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2013-02-19

24MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 25600

35 mm f2.00 Prime Lens

3.00" Fixed Type Screen

5.0fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

482g. 113 x 65 x 70 mm

Panasonic ZS100 was replaced by Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS200. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS200 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100 (Lumix DMC-TZ100)
Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS200 vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Panasonic ZS100 and Sony RX1 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

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Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100 over Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1

Wireless Connection	Built-In vs Eye-Fi Connected	Better connectivity
In-built Image Stabilization	Optical vs None	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and slow shutter speeds
Tiltable Flash	Yes vs No	Bounce built-in flash off the ceiling
Touch Screen	Yes vs No	Easy control of camera functions
Viewfinder	Electronic vs Electronic (Optional)	Better framing and control
Number of Focus Points	49 vs 25	24 more focus points
Continuous Shooting	9.9fps vs 5.0fps	4.9 fps faster
Battery Life	300 shots vs 270 shots	30 more frames with a single charge
Weight	312 g vs 482 g	170 g lighter
Timelapse Recording	Yes vs No	creative shooting
Focal Length - Wide	25mm vs 35mm	10 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele	250mm vs 35mm	215 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	10x vs 1x	more flexible focal coverage
Flash Coverage	8.0m vs 6.0m	2m longer range
Max Video Resolution	3840 x 2160 vs 1920 x 1080	Higher Resolution Video
4K Photo Mode	Yes vs No	Extract 8MP photos from 4K Video
Post Focus Mode	Yes vs No	Change focus point after taking a shot
Smartphone Remote	Yes vs No	Remote control your camera with a smartphone

CHECK ZS100 PRICE

Reasons to choose Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100

External Flash Shoe	Yes vs No	Better for flash photography
Sensor Resolution	24 MP vs 20 MP	19% more pixels
Max ISO	25.600 vs 12.800	100% higher Max ISO
LCD Resolution	1.229k dots vs 1.040k dots	18% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter	1/4000s vs 1/2000s	faster mechanical shutter
Microphone Port	Yes vs No	High quality audio recording option
Max Aperture - Wide	2.00 vs 2.80	faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele	2.00 vs 5.90	faster lens at tele
Color Depth	25.1 vs 22.8	higher color depth
Dynamic Range	14.3 vs 12.5	higher dynamic range
Low Light ISO	2534 vs 559	better High ISO performance
Sensor Pixel Area	35.50µm² vs 5.82µm²	509% larger pixel area

CHECK RX1 PRICE

Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1

Built-in Flash	Yes vs Yes	Useful in low-light
RAW Support	Yes vs Yes	Better image quality
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs Yes	very handy for portraits
Max Resolution	20 MP vs 24 MP	Bigger prints and more details
LCD Screen Resolution	1.040k dots vs 1.229k dots	High resolution screens
Manual Focusing	Yes vs Yes	both have manual focusing modes
Manual Exposure	Yes vs Yes	better exposure control
AE Bracketing	Yes vs Yes	Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR

Common Weaknesses of Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1

Fixed Screen	Fixed Type vs No	No flexible viewing angles
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions

Panasonic ZS100 vs Sony RX1: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Panasonic ZS100 and Sony RX1 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Panasonic ZS100 has external dimensions of 111 x 65 x 44 mm (4.37 x 2.56 x 1.73″) and weighs 312 g (0.69 lb / 11.01 oz) (including batteries). Sony RX1 has external dimensions of 113 x 65 x 70 mm (4.45 x 2.56 x 2.76″) and weighs 482 g (1.06 lb / 17.00 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic ZS100 and Sony RX1. Panasonic ZS100 is 2mm narrower and 26mm thinner than Panasonic ZS100 but they have the same height of 65mm.

Comparison image of Panasonic ZS100 and Sony RX1 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Panasonic ZS100 and Sony RX1.

Top View Comparison image of Panasonic ZS100 and Sony RX1 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Panasonic ZS100 is significantly lighter (170g ) than the Sony RX1 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

ZS100

RX1

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

ZS100

RX1

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100 (Lumix DMC-TZ100) nor Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1 provides any type of weather sealing in their body, so you have to give extra care especially when you are shooting outdoors. If weather sealing is a must-have feature for you, check these sections:
Top Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Panasonic ZS100 and Sony RX1's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3.00".

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.

Panasonic ZS100 vs Sony RX1: Sensor Comparison

Panasonic ZS100 has a 20.0MP 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm ) sized MOS sensor and features Venus Engine processor. On the other hand, Sony RX1 has a 24.0MP Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .

Below you can see the ZS100 and RX1 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic ZS100 and Sony RX1 Cameras

As seen above, Sony RX1 has a 7.3x Larger sensor area than Panasonic ZS100. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.

DxOMark Sensor Scores

DxOMark is a benchmark that scientifically assesses image quality of camera sensors. It scores camera sensors for color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape) and low-light sensitivity (DXO Sports), and also gives them an overall score. Panasonic ZS100 and Sony RX1 sensors have been tested by DxO and the results show that RX1 has a better overall score of 93, 23 points higher compared to ZS100's score of 70.

Model	Overall	Color Depth	Dynamic Range	Low-light ISO
Panasonic ZS100	70	22.8 bits	12.5 Evs	559 ISO
Sony RX1	93	25.1 bits	14.3 Evs	2534 ISO

Panasonic ZS100 vs Sony RX1 Lens Specs Comparison

Panasonic ZS100 features a 25-250 mm F2.8-5.9 10x zoom lens whereas Sony RX1 features a 35 mm F2.0-22.0 Prime lens.

It is not easy to compare a prime lens with a zoom lens. Panasonic ZS100's zoom lens provides a great flexibility compared to Sony RX1's 35mm fixed focal length lens. On the other hand, RX1's prime lens makes it a specialized camera. You compromise the flexibility of a zoom in order to enjoy the high image quality and unique rendering of this fast lens. On the tele end, Panasonic ZS100 has 215mm longer reach than the Sony RX1. However, with a max aperture of f2.00, Sony RX1 is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

ZS100

RX1

Widest - Canon G1 X II

Average

Telezoom

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

ZS100

RX1

Longest - Panasonic ZS200

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

ZS100

RX1

Fastest - Leica X (Typ 113)

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

ZS100

RX1

Fastest - Panasonic LX10

Average

What types of Photography are Panasonic ZS100 and Sony RX1 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic ZS100 and Sony RX1 for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Panasonic ZS100 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Sony RX1 for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
No External Flash Shoe
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Optional External Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Panasonic ZS100 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Sony RX1 for Street Photography

GOOD

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Read the details

Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.00
Optional External Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
35 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details

Panasonic ZS100 for Sports Photography

POOR

Sony RX1 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 9.9fps
49 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
250 mm Tele Lens
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No External Flash Shoe
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
Read the details

RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
25 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
No Image Stabilization
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Poor Battery Life: 270 shots
35 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Panasonic ZS100 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Sony RX1 for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT

RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
10.0X Optical Zoom
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
312g
Body Thickness 44mm
Read the details

Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
482g
Body Thickness 70mm
Read the details

Panasonic ZS100 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Sony RX1 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
No Environmental Sealings
35 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details

Panasonic ZS100 vs Sony RX1: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Panasonic ZS100 and Sony RX1, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Panasonic ZS100 and Sony RX1 scores compare:

Panasonic ZS100

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #24 out of 61 in Large Sensor Compact cameras
Ranked #233 out of 1247 in all Cameras

Sony RX1

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #14 out of 61 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #204 out of 1247 in all Cameras

Sony RX1 has a higher Overall Score than the Panasonic ZS100 mainly because of its huge advantage in Image quality. In all other areas, Panasonic ZS100 excels. It is a tough choice!
If image quality is your priority, get the Sony RX1.
If you are ready to compromise image quality for extra features, compactness and value, choose Panasonic ZS100

Sony RX1 vs Panasonic ZS100 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100	Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1
Brand	Panasonic	Sony
Announced	2016-01-05	2013-02-19
Body Type	Large Sensor Compact	Large sensor compact
Sensor
Type	MOS	CMOS
Size	1″	Full frame
Dimensions	13.2 x 8.8 mm	35.8 x 23.8 mm
Area	116.16mm²	852.04mm²
Megapixels	20 megapixels	24 megapixels
Max Resolution	5472 x 3648	6000 x 4000
Max Native Light sensitivity	12,800 ISO	25,600 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity	25600 ISO	-
Min Native Light sensitivity	125 ISO	100 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity	80 ISO	-
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points	49	25
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	25-250 mm (10x)	35 mm (1x)
Max Aperture	F2.8-5.9	F2.0-22.0
Macro Focus Range	5cm	n/a
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	3.00"	3.00"
Resolution	1,040k dots	1,229k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Electronic	Electronic and Optical (optional)
Viewfinder Resolution	1,166k dots	no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage	100%	n/a
Viewfinder Magnification	0.46x	n/a
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/2000s	1/4000s
Max Electronic Shutter	1/16000s	n/a
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization	Optical	No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	8.00 m (at Auto ISO)	6.00 m
Max Flash Sync	n/a	1/4000s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	9.9 fps	5.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	3840 x 2160	1920 x 1080
Video Formats	MPEG-4, AVCHD	MPEG-4, AVCHD
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Built-In	Eye-Fi Connected
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	312g	482g
Dimensions	111 x 65 x 44mm	113 x 65 x 70mm
Battery Life	300 shots	270 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	70	93
DxO Color Depth	22.8	25.1
DxO Dynamic Range	12.5	14.3
DxO Low Light ISO	559	2534
	Report a correction	Report a correction